Boulder Blind Cafe

In a culture addicted to multi-tasking, with images and stimuli flashing in our faces non-stop, this one-of-a-kind sensory experience forces attendees to be fully present. They’re forced to connect with those around them, despite the darkness, in an unfamiliar, emotionally powerful way.

As Seen On...

Boulder Blind Cafe | March 9 -11, 2017

“There is something about engaging in organic conversation in a room full of strangers who can’t see each that instills a sense of community along the group. At the end, a candle is lit and it feels as if your waking up from a collective dream, that you somehow shared with everyone around you.

— Hayley Besecker | 7 x 7 Magazine SF

What is The Blind Cafe?

The Blind Cafe is a fiscally sponsored positive social change organization, that uses the concept of darkness to create innovative and imaginative ( pop-up ) music & social change events held entirely in the pitch dark ( no blindfolds ). Our events are facilitated by legally blind staff, and designed to change the way you 'see' the world. Since 2010, The Blind Cafe has had over 15,000 people through the dark and continues to innovate life-changing experiences in the dark world-wide.

Watch this intro to The Blind Cafe Experience video created in-kind by GoVideoGo

Music In The Dark Experience - Shot in the dark (2010 1st event)

In-depth video about The Blind Cafe ( 2010, 2nd Blind Cafe )

Purchase Tickets to The Boulder Blind Cafe Experience

The Blind Café does not try to perfectly recreate blindness. Instead, it allows people to interact, trust each other, and experience community in an entirely new way. In the dark, there are no uncomfortable glances, no self-consciousness about what you’re wearing or what you weigh, no distinction between the sighted and blind.

Join The Blind Cafe Experience Mailing List to stay in touch!

Every month on the 15th day, we give out two free tickets out towards our next upcoming show!We'll keep you in the loop about tour dates, the music & the social change!

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Blind Cafe Cities We Tour

All Locations List

Check here if: you are a raving fan of The Blind Cafe &amp; want to become a Blind Cafe Ambassador!

Boulder/Denver

San Francisco

Seattle

Portland

Austin

Dallas

Salt Lake City

Chicago

San Rafael/Marin County

Santa Rosa, CA

Palo Alto/Mountain View/San Jose

Santa Cruz, CA

Monterey, CA

San Luis Obispo, CA

Santa Barbara

San Diego, CA

Los Angeles, CA

Houston, TX

New Orleans

Cambridge, MA/Boston Area

Napa Valley, CA

Sonoma, CA

San Louis Obispo, CA

Pasadena, CA

Fort Collins, CO

Aspen, CO

Telluride, CO

Lake Tahoe, CA

Buenos Aire, Argentina South America

New York City

Brooklyn

What happens in the dark at The Blind Cafe?

Our signature program, 'The Blind Cafe' is a pop-up event, an award winning community awareness concert, discussion & dinner in the dark, no blindfolds! This is NOT just another dinner in the dark…it’s a community experience where people connect, learn and break bread together without their visual conditioning, social etiquette and cell phones. There are three components to The Blind Cafe Experience:

A Social Dinner Experience In The Dark

What's on the menu? Community... locally sponsored (vegan & gluten-free) friendly food, dark chocolate, good friends, inspiring stories, live music and meaningful conversation all in the dark. A passionate and dedicated Blind Cafe Chef. Meet Jamie Harrington, he has been working with us since 2012. Chef Jamie is the Executive Chef at Harrington Catering, a San Francisco based catering company. We hire a local professional Chef in each city to help design the menu encouraging them to connect with local farms, locals business’s and build relationships in the community. We source, as much as possible, the food we serve from local farms and business’s relying largely on donations from the community.

A Discussion In The Dark

Our award winning community awareness discussion, you will participate in a group discussion Q & A, between the audience ( you ) and our amazing warm heart felt legally Blind keynote speakers/ servers who will share their personal stories with you and you will have the chance to ask questions, and discuss blindness in the dark with the entire room all payingattention.

About Richie Flores

Meet Richie Flores, Lead Blind Cafe Ambassador & Facilitator as well as a 'Blind Cafe Performing Song-Writer'. Richie hails from Austin TX and has been touring with The Blind Cafe since 2011 guiding guests through their non-visional experience as well delivering The Blind Cafe Music In The Dark Experience.

A Music Performance In The Dark

Ever wonder what it like to experience a live music performance in complete pitch darkness? Rosh & the Blind Cafe Orchestra brings one of the most emotionally powerful music listening experiences possible. These unique and intimate performances bridge the gap between the artist and their audience as they're empowered to participate in an active music listening experience, in the complete and total pitch dark! Learn what it was like to experience live music without the distraction of your visual conditioning, social etiquette and cells phones. Visit Rosh & the Blind Cafe Orchestra music in the dark page.

What is this The Blind Cafe thing all about?

Is it a Blind Awareness Organization? | A non-profit? | Is it a fundraiser? | Is it a band?

The Blind Cafe is NOT a blind awareness organization.

The Blind Cafe is a fiscally sponsored 'Arts & Social Change' organization, operating under the 501(c)3 of the Boulder County Arts Alliance. The Blind Cafe was started by Colorado musician Rosh in 2010, to explore using the concept of live music & community discussion in total 'darkness' as a positive social change exploration, in how people relate to one another without their visual conditioning, social etiquette & their cell phones. In 2010 when Rosh decided to test out this 'darkness idea' fate found it that he made friends with Rick Hammond, who is a spoken word artist and who also happens to be legally blind. Fast to be friends, Rosh asked Rick if he wanted to include the blind community in some way and the idea of a discussion/Q&A in the dark about blindness developed. The decision was to have three components, a social change dinner, a blind awareness discussion & a music in the experience. The Blind Cafe Experience does have a 'blind awareness' mission & component of our events facilitated by legally blind keynote blind speakers that we are very proud to present but it's not the only focus of The Blind Cafe.

Moving forward we'll be exploring deeper into blind awareness & blind empowerment, but we will also go deeper in how we can explore and 'relook' at other social issues through the lens of non-vision engagement in the dark. Soon we'll be partnering with Associator Pastor, Pedro Silva, of the First Congregational Church to explore tackling racism using the Blind Cafe Experience as a forum for social change discussions around this issue. On the music vein, we're excited to see how we can bring The Blind Cafe Experience to the music industry, partnering with prominent venues and Symphony Orchestra's for deeper exploration of experiencing music without our visual conditioning, social etiquette and cell phones/

The Blind Cafe is NOT a fund-raising event.

The Blind Cafe is a fiscally sponsored project under The Boulder under the 501(c)3 of the Boulder County Arts Alliance. Our events are designed to initiate social change while providing an awesome entertaining and educational experience touching on various social change subjects. Donations collected at our events or through our fiscal sponsor, as grants or private donors go towards continuing and expanding our reach, to bring these impactful event worldwide.

We are NOT simulating what it is like to be blind!

You will get an insight into blindness by hearing the stories of our awesome legally blind staff and participating in a discussion together but you are NOT going to experience what it's like to actually be a blind person, that's just not possible to be in another persons shoes like that.

The Blind Cafe Experience is NOT just another dinner in the dark!

The Blind Cafe event you are about to sign up for is NOT, a regular dinner in the dark! If you want a regular dinner in the dark, there are some restaurants in California and New York where it is solely about the food and you sit with the table mates you come with and it's like a regular restaurant but in the dark. The Blind Cafe Experience is a social experience, of music, socializing and learning through community, where you will literally break bread with other attendees at 6 - 8 person tables. In addition, there will be a group discussion between the audience ( you ) and our amazing warm heart felt legally Blind keynote speakers. As well, you are signing up for a live music listening concert, performed with the intention of helping you to remember how to feel and listen, to music without your visual conditioning and social etiquette and cell phones!

You are signing up for a thought provoking, socially challenging & entertaining Music & Social Change In The Dark Experience

The Blind Cafe can be a very powerful experience and at times challenging, but that's what you signing up for right? You will be in the pitch dark for several hours without your habitual ways of checking out as you might in a lighted setting. You will literally have to relinquish control. Uncomfortable feelings may come up for you in the dark. If this happens, stay present, breath and bring attention to whatever is coming up for you emotionally and use this upset as an opportunity to learn about yourself and expand your comfort zone. Your experience will depend on your ability to be with yourself, when you don't know what to do.

Remember whatever comes up for you in the dark, make room for it ;)

Meet Our Impact Partners!

The Blind Cafe has had the most amazing support from these wonderful impact partners!